<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Top centers 1. Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina): Hansbrough was great last season, averaging 20.4 points and 7.6 rebounds in ACC games. He got 25 or more points five different times, including a 40-point effort against Georgia Tech, and his only really poor outing down the stretch came in the season-ending loss to George Mason. Rest assured, Hansbrough won't go out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament again. More likely, he'll be holding an MVP trophy on a Monday night in April. 2. Glen Davis (LSU): After huffing and puffing and blowing a huge opportunity in the Final Four, Davis got serious about his weight problem this offseason, reportedly losing anywhere from 25 to one zillion pounds, depending on who you believe. Bottom line, "Big Baby" is smaller, which means his potential is larger, and that he was already a force implies he could be in for an even better season than the 18.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game recorded as a sophomore. Remember, Davis is the reigning SEC Player of the Year, not ... 3. Joakim Noah (Florida): How the guy who dominated the NCAA Tournament and would've likely been the top pick in June's draft is third on this list is beyond me, and I'm the one doing the stupid rankings. But in assigning this position, I relied on what Florida's Billy Donovan said over the summer. He said coaches, players and teams should be judged on what they do over an entire season, not by what happens in a three-week period in March. Using that as the criteria, Noah came in third, because despite his incredible NCAA Tournament run, there aren't many people who believed in February he was having a better overall season than either of the players above him. Still, Noah's averages of 14.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks as a sophomore weren't shabby. 4. Greg Oden (Ohio State): How the guy who might be the best big man prospect in 20 years is fourth on this list is beyond me, and I'm the one doing the stupid rankings. Seriously, Oden, once he's recovered from that wrist injury, could be so dominant he leads Ohio State to a Big Ten title. I won't be shocked if that's the case. Defensively, he's going to be a nightmare for opponents. If I do postseason rankings, don't be surprised if he's No. 1. But for now, fourth will have to do, I guess. 5. Spencer Hawes (Washington): A consensus top five recruit, Hawes projects as the best post player in the West, and he should push for Pac-10 Player of the Year honors as a freshman. He's 6-11, can score inside and shoot it. You've heard of big white stiffs? Hawes is not one of them. 6. Nick Fazekas (Nevada): Fazekas averaged 21.8 points and 10.4 rebounds last season, then opted to return to Nevada for his senior season. Consequently, the Wolf Pack are the favorites to win the WAC, and Fazekas should record his third consecutive league Player of the Year award. 7.Aaron Gray (Pittsburgh): While shunning the NBA Draft, Gray said he returned to school because he thought the Panthers could make the Final Four. If the 7-footer averages a double-double again this season (he got 13.9 points and 10.5 rebounds as a junior), he just might be glad he thought that way. 8. Jermareo Davidson (Alabama): Davidson averaged 14.3 points and 8.9 rebounds last season, and he'd be a double-double guy if he didn't have to share the paint with Richard Hendrix. But because the 6-10 senior does share the paint, Alabama has a shot to win an SEC title, and then some. 9. Jason Smith (Colorado State): NBA scouts don't typically hang out at Colorado State. But this season they will, thanks to Smith, a 7-0 center who averaged 16.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks as a sophomore. 10. Joseph Jones (Texas A&M): I'm not saying Jones is ever going to be a lottery selection, but in three meetings with Texas' LaMarcus Aldridge last season, he averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. Aldridge's numbers in those games? Just 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. And he was the second overall pick in June's NBA Draft. I'm just saying.</div> Full Story
Hansbrough over Noah? I don't know about that one. Big Baby lost some weight, who knows if he'll be as dominate in the post as he was before. I'd have Noah at 1, Hansbrough at 2, then Oden a close third.
I said the same thing, CK. How the hell is anyone ranked over Noah right now? You can't have higher stock than that gangly dude has right now. I don't get that ranking at all. Jarmareo Davidson really grew on me last year; I didn't think he'd mature as fast as he did, but he's becoming a big time player. I also really like Joseph Jones. He's one of the more underrated players around.
<div class="quote_poster">C.K. Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Hansbrough over Noah? I don't know about that one. Big Baby lost some weight, who knows if he'll be as dominate in the post as he was before. I'd have Noah at 1, Hansbrough at 2, then Oden a close third.</div> Completely agree.
I agree on having Hansbrough over Noah. Tyler Hansbrough's supporting cast wasn't nearly as good as Noah's, and Hansbrough didn't have Al Horford helping out either. Hansbrough was nearly a one-man wrecking crew on the inside, and he did a great job. He might be the 2006-2007 college bball player of the year. He is my front-runner anyway. And no, this isn't Dick Vitale in disguise.
<div class="quote_poster">Thrash13 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I agree on having Hansbrough over Noah. Tyler Hansbrough's supporting cast wasn't nearly as good as Noah's, and Hansbrough didn't have Al Horford helping out either. Hansbrough was nearly a one-man wrecking crew on the inside, and he did a great job. He might be the 2006-2007 college bball player of the year. He is my front-runner anyway. And no, this isn't Dick Vitale in disguise. </div> I agree. Tyler Hansbrough is the best player in the nation. I'm not just saying that out of bias for Florida either, because I'm sure that even Gators will tell you that Noah's not as good as the media tends to blow him up to be. He's not even the best player on his own team for God's sake (that'd be Corey Brewer). He's also not really a center. He'll log minutes there, but as a center he's not nearly as effective as guys like Tyler Hansbrough or Glen Davis. Sure, he's fun to watch, he's energetic, and yes, he is talented, but he's being overrated just because the media chose him to be the face of the Gator's well-balanaced attack. I personally agree with his top five, although I can definitely see Oden and Hawes moving up on the list. It's just too hard to commit to a freshman this early in the season. After those five though, it should be Aaron Gray, Roy Hibbert, and Jermareo Davidson in that order. Fazekas isn't even a true center. I also don't get why the extremely raw Hasheem Thabeet is on the list. He has the potential to be an amazing prospect down the road, but right now that's all he is - potential. Dwayne Curtis is a homer pick and should be replaced on the list by someone like DePaul's Wilson Chandler (who I'd personally have top ten), Michigan's Courtney Sims, Wisconsin's Brian Butch, Syracuse's Darryl Watkins, Arkansas's Steven Hill, or Arizona's Kirk Walters.
It all depends on what the criteria is. -Talent wise, I would put Noah 3rd, slightly behind Hansborough and Oden with Roy HIbbert #4. -NBA intrigue, Noah should be #1. -Stats, Noah shouldn't be Top 10. He flat out won't get the numbers that the other guys get because our team is so balanced and he won't get that many touches. In our starting lineup, the highest guy in shot attempts(Noah) got less than 2 more shot attempts then our lowest starter(Humphrey). That is balance. Like Voodoo said, but I will take it one step further. Not only is he not our best player, he's not even our best NBA prospect big man. Al Horford does everything he does, but better. He's much stronger, he has a jump shot, he always guards the better offensive player. He's just not flashy and not tall like Noah. Horford/Brewer are our 2 best players.
<div class="quote_poster">TheFreshPrince Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">As Voodoo said, how is Roy Hibbert not a top ten center?</div> Hibbert is still very raw man, if he was putting up 17 and 10 then he'd be a top 5 IMO
<div class="quote_poster">J_Ray Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Hibbert is still very raw man, if he was putting up 17 and 10 then he'd be a top 5 IMO</div> He looked pretty nice last year. Although he is raw, he still is pretty dominate.
<div class="quote_poster">GatorsowntheNCAA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Horford/Brewer are our 2 best players.</div> I'm glad someone realizes this. I think Horford and Noah are pretty evenly matched, but Corey Brewer is the glue for that team. I definitely think he is the best Gator right now. I would definitely want him on my team if I was an NBA GM, even if his shot is a little wacko.
<div class="quote_poster">Thrash13 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I'm glad someone realizes this. I think Horford and Noah are pretty evenly matched, but Corey Brewer is the glue for that team. I definitely think he is the best Gator right now. I would definitely want him on my team if I was an NBA GM, even if his shot is a little wacko.</div> Shooting is not Brewer's problem. He actually has a very good shot most of the time. He was the Gators leading 3 point percentage guy entering last year, so that means he shot better in his freshman year then Humphrey did in his sophomore year. Brewer's problem is ball handling and decision making. I believe that most of the diehard Gator fans realize that Noah isn't even the best big on the team and that Brewer is the most talented. You just don't see someone at Brewer's size that quick and that good at defense, while being a pretty solid shooter and that explosive first step. I've been saying this for awhile, Horford does EVERYTHING Noah does, but with a more complete game. We need someone to stay back to rebound on defense, so Noah runs instead of Horford, but Horford can also run. Horford can also handle the ball and pass the ball just as good as Noah. Gators ALWAYS put Horford against the best offensive weapon(he was guarding Hibbert, despite a 6 inch size difference, compared to just 3 for Noah) for the opposing team. Not only that, but Horford can actually hit a mid range shot. He just takes care of his business and doesn't go absolutely crazy like Noah does. He's a silent leader. These 2 players could be the best 2 players to ever come out of UF on the NBA level.
